well, myspace has been incredible. As far as efficiency and results go. cant beat its ability to link you to potential supporters and build a personal connection, while also introducing people to your music. Friend requests are a passive way to advertise your music.
seriously, i havent done shows, because our group is all over the place, and i have been in law school.
but, there was a hiphop event in my city a couple of weeks ago, when i first got the CD's. So i sent out a bulletin promoting the event, and also letting people know that i had the CD's and would be selling pre-release copies at the show..
i got a table set up at the entrance of the venue with my CD's. Two portable CD players and sets of headphones (mini listening station), and posters laid across the table and hanging behind me. Flyers on the table (the m13 graphics special), and a "contact list" for people to sign up for me to keep in touch with them. I also had on a custom tee shirt that said on the front
YOU BETTER...
BUY MY CD!!
sleptonfam.com
I was supposed to have a friend come out with me to help me and bring people to my table, and pass out flyers..but he had to cancel at the last minute...
At the event there are people who came specifically to get pre-release copies of the CD. I was so busy at my table when people saw my posters and realised i was wargasms from slept on fam. People were at my table the whole night. Listening, talking to me taking flyers and even passing them out for me. Other artists were asking me could they have a poster when i was done to put up in studios.
Our artwork and presentation plays a big part too. The animations are eyecatching and have become sort of a trademark of our group. People recognize it on the flyers, and posters and know who we are.
But at the end of the night, i never left my table, but i sold well over 30 cd's, and had a contact list of around 70 people who wanted me to give them details of how and where to buy the CD. I easilly outsold and made more contacts than the performing acts.
the next weekend, i took a road trip to charlotte north carolina. I'm invited to a small private showcase for a hip hop promoter. I get to the event, with my flyers and cd's...i dont have a table set up this time. . I didnt even promote hard at this showcase as i did at the 1st event because it was almost all artists selling cd's. But i put out a stack of flyers. A guy sees one, and immediately comes over to me and tells me he is a fan of our music. He gets on to perform and shouts me out "wargasms from slept on fam"....Over the couple of hours i was there, at least 15 other rappers came up to me telling me they were fans of my group, many of them bought the cd. I got a ton of contacts there too. Got my material in the hands of some important dj's and promoters, met 3 producers interested in working with me...and got my cd stocked in 2 stores in charlotte before i headed home.
so, myspace is GREAT for that initial contact, but gotta have other things available so that when you make that real life connection, they can place you with your music/image, and feel like you are really someone worth getting behind/ networking with.
